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Tommy Tiernan
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Tommy Tiernan (born 3 November 1969 in Carndonagh, County Donegal) is an Irish comedian, actor and writer. He spent the first 3 years of his life there. He then moved to Africa with his family. He later returned to Ireland and attended school in Navan.
Tiernan attended the same school as Irish television presenter Hector Ó hEochagáin, in St. Patrick's Classical School, Navan, Meath, a former Roman Catholic junior seminary which remarkably produced two winners of the prestigious Perrier Comedy Award in the 1990s (the other being Dylan Moran).
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Encyclopedia
Tommy Tiernan (born 3 November 1969 in Carndonagh, County Donegal) is an Irish comedian, actor and writer. He spent the first 3 years of his life there. He then moved to Africa with his family. He later returned to Ireland and attended school in Navan.
Tiernan attended the same school as Irish television presenter Hector Ó hEochagáin, in St. Patrick's Classical School, Navan, Meath, a former Roman Catholic junior seminary which remarkably produced two winners of the prestigious Perrier Comedy Award in the 1990s (the other being Dylan Moran). He later attended the boarding school, Garbally College in Ballinasloe, County Galway. In 2008, Tommy and Hector Ó hEochagáin formed as a radio duo on "The Tommy and Hector Show" on i102104 after hinting at a desire to be on the radio, months before on The Late Late Show. Speaking about his new role, Tommy say's “I’ve always wanted to have loads of craic on the radio. What better way to have a mountain of devilment than to do a show with my best friend.”
Comedic style
Tiernan is well-known for his up-front take on the Catholic presence in Irish culture. Tiernan says that his main inspiration is his friend Jack Cantrell. On the subject Tiernan says that when he met him he thought Jack was "very funny and his jokes were so crude that I wanted to be exactly like him". The two still have a strong relationship and Jack will sometimes even help Tommy with his work. His general style has been compared to that of the old style storytellers of Ireland, the Seanchai. Also reminiscent of this is his RTÉ TV programme, Supertramp, in which Tiernan walked across the length of Ireland, meeting people, shouting at them, collecting stories and performing shows along the way.
He is best known for his use of observation dressed up with energetic physical comedy and a loud, impassioned delivery. Tiernan dissects the older traditions of Irish culture, throwing a contemporary light on them. For example he compares two fictitious Catholic priests, one African and the other Australian, reciting the same sermon, but he demonstrates how the way you approach religion can make all the difference. Also famous are his takes on the yuppie culture hitting Ireland since the Celtic Tiger. Furthermore he is well-known throughout Ireland and Britain for his overuse of swearing during his comedy shows. For example he can be seen swearing a total of 282 times or every 14 seconds during his OK Baby DVD.
Tiernan philosophises that life should be enjoyed instead of mourned and that life is pointless (and that's precisely the point). He is quoted as saying [in reference to the Universe being infinite]: "Nobody knows we're here... so...let's wreck the joint!". Surrealist Irish writer Flann O'Brien's influence upon Tiernan can also be seen in his material and Tiernan has even appeared in a documentary on RTE discussing and admiring O'Brien's abstract philosophies.
Tiernan is noted to wear (becoming trademark) red trainers on stage, a pointer to his 'cracked' methodology, i.e. acting like the funniest person in the pub without actually writing any comedic material. Furthermore, Tiernan is also noted for making various subtle references to certain songs during his stand-up shows including: Aslan's Crazy World, The Beatles' All You Need Is Love and The Doors' Break on Through (To the Other Side).
He read Roddy Doyle's children's comedy "The Giggler Treatment" for BBC Audiobooks (Dip). The second book, "Rover Saves Christmas", was not released.
Tiernan also performed at the Cat Laughs Comedy festival in Kilkenny, where on 30 May 2008 he attracted media attention for his joke about Madeline McCann. He had said that he had purchased Calpol from the McCann's website.
Television career
Tiernan spoke of the part he played in the death of fellow comic Dermot Morgan in a 2009 documentary showsn on TV3 Ireland. Tiernan played a priest in an episode of Father Ted in which Morgan played the title character. The episode, which was the last filmed but not the last broadcast, featured a scene where Tiernan was depressed and sitting at a table while Ted was jumping around and dancing. The producers said Tiernan's face was not quite right and they had to do the scene again and again. Morgan was said to be exhausted but persuaded to give it one more go. Then filming wrapped and Tiernan went to London the next day. That evening a taxi driver informed him that Morgan had unexpectedly and suddenly died. It was 1998. At the funeral Ardal O'Hanlon, who played Father Dougal McGuire, turned to Tiernan and whispered ominously in his ear "you killed Father Ted!".
Appearances and awards
On June 17, 2006, Tiernan appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman, after which he expressed his delight at being mentioned between actor Robert Duvall and music group Sonic Youth at the start of the show.
A few years ago while performing at the Montreal comedy festival, Tommy received a standing ovation for his piece. He was at the time, the first comic to receive such an accolade at that festival.
In 1996 Tiernan won the Channel 4 "So You Think you're Funny" award. Two years later he was awarded the Perrier Comedy Award, at the 1998 Edinburgh Festival.
Tiernan has been a regular performer at national and international comedy festivals including the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Just for Laughs Montreal Comedy Festival, New York Comedy Festival and the Kilkenny Cat Laughs Comedy Festival. He also acted in the acclaimed Father Ted series on Channel 4 playing the depressed Father Kevin.
Appearances
- 2008: The Three Fellas (With Ardal O'Hanlon and Dylan Moran)
- 2008: Tommy Tiernan: Something Mental DVD and Comedy Central Special
- 2008: Late Show with David Letterman (29 February 2008)
- 2007: Ok Baby DVD
- 2007: Bovinity Tour
- 2007: Just for Laughs Comedy Tour
- 2006: Just for Laughs Comedy Tour
- 2006: Late Show with David Letterman (17 June 2006)
- 2006: Jokerman (RTÉ documentary)
- 2005: Loose DVD
- 2004/5: Loose tour
- 2004: Cracked tour, DVD release
- 2003: Tell Me A Story tour
- 2002: RTÉ serial documentary, Supertramp
- 2002: Tommy Tiernan Live
- 2001: Channel 4 sitcom Small Potatoes
- 1999: Hosted two series of The Stand Up Show
- 1999: About Adam (Simon)
- 1998: Last episode of Father Ted (as Father Kevin)
- 1997: The Matchmaker (film)
- 1996: The Morbegs (Irish Children's Show)
DVDs
- Tommy Tiernan: Live (2002)
- Tommy Tiernan: Cracked (2005)
- Tommy Tiernan: Loose (2005)
- Jokerman: Tommy Tiernan in America (November 2006)
- Tommy Tiernan: OK Baby(2007)
- Tommy Tiernan: Something Mental (2008)
- Tommy Tiernan: Bovinity (October 2008)
External links
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